This invention relates to polynucleotides encoding polypeptides, polypeptides expressed in skin cells, and various methods for treating a patient involving administration of a polypeptide or polynucleotide of the present invention.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and serves as a protective cover. The loss of skin, as occurs in a badly burned person, may lead to death owing to the absence of a barrier against infection by external microbial organisms, as well as loss of body temperature and body fluids.
Skin tissue is composed of several layers. The outermost layer is the epidermis which is supported by a basement membrane and overlies the dermis. Beneath the dermis is loose connective tissue and fascia which cover muscles or bony tissue. The skin is a self-renewing tissue in that cells are constantly being formed and shed. The deepest cells of the epidermis are the basal cells, which are enriched in cells capable of replication. Such replicating cells are called progenitor or stem cells. Replicating cells in turn give rise to daughter cells called xe2x80x98transit amplifying cellsxe2x80x99. These cells undergo differentiation and maturation into keratinocytes (mature skin cells) as they move from the basal layer to the more superficial layers of the epidermis. In the process, keratinocytes become cornified and are ultimately shed from the skin surface. Other cells in the epidermis include melanocytes which synthesize melanin, the pigment responsible for protection against sunlight. The Langerhans cell also resides in the epidermis and functions as a cell which processes foreign proteins for presentation to the immune system.
The dermis contains nerves, blood and lymphatic vessels, fibrous and fatty tissue. Within the dermis are fibroblasts, macrophages and mast cells. Both the epidermis and dermis are penetrated by sweat, or sebaceous, glands and hair follicles. Each strand of hair is derived from a hair follicle. When hair is plucked out, the hair re-grows from epithelial cells directed by the dermal papillae of the hair follicle.
When the skin surface is breached, for example in a wound, the stem cells proliferate and daughter keratinocytes migrate across the wound to reseal the tissues. The skin cells therefore possess genes activated in response to trauma. The products of these genes include several growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor, which mediate the proliferation of skin cells. The genes that are activated in the skin, and the protein products of such genes, may be developed as agents for the treatment of skin wounds. Additional growth factors derived from skin cells may also influence growth of other cell types. As skin cancers are a disorder of the growth of skin cells, proteins derived from skin that regulate cellular growth may be developed as agents for the treatment of skin cancers. Skin derived proteins that regulate the production of melanin may be useful as agents which protect skin against unwanted effects of sunlight.
Keratinocytes are known to secrete cytokines and express various cell surface proteins. Cytokines and cell surface molecules are proteins which play an important role in the inflammatory response against infection and also in autoimmune diseases affecting the skin. Genes and their protein products that are expressed by skin cells may thus be developed into agents for the treatment of inflammatory disorders affecting the skin.
Hair is an important part of a person""s individuality. Disorders of the skin may lead to hair loss. Alopecia areata is a disease characterized by the patchy loss of hair over the scalp. Total baldness is a side effect of drug treatment for cancer. The growth and development of hair are mediated by the effects of genes expressed in skin and dermal papillae. Such genes and their protein products may be usefully developed into agents for the treatment of disorders of the hair follicle.
New treatments are required to hasten the healing of skin wounds, to prevent the loss of hair, enhance the re-growth of hair or removal of hair, and to treat autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases more effectively and without adverse effects. More effective treatments of skin cancers are also required. There thus remains a need in the art for the identification and isolation of genes encoding proteins expressed in the skin, for use in the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of disorders including those associated with skin.
The present invention provides polypeptides expressed in skin cells, together with polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, expression vectors and host cells comprising such polynucleotides, and methods for their use.
In specific embodiments, isolated polynucleotides are provided that comprise a DNA sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-119, 198-276, 349-372, 399-405, and 410-412, preferably sequences related in SEQ ID NOS: 1-14, 45-48, 64-68, 77-89, 118, 119, 198-231, 239-249, 254-274, 349-372 and 399-405; (b) complements of the sequences recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-119, 198-276, 349-372, 399-405, and 410-412, preferably complements of the sequences recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-14, 45-48, 64-68, 77-89, 118, 119, 198-231, 239-249, 254-274, 349-372, and 399-405; (c) reverse complements of the sequences recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-119, 198-276, 349-372, 399-405, and 410-412, preferably reverse complements of sequences recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-14, 45-48, 64-68, 77-89, 118, 119, 198-231, 239-249, 254-274, 349-372 and 399-405; (d) reverse sequences of the sequences recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-119, 198-276, 349-372, 399-405, and 410-412, preferably reverse sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1-14, 45-48, 64-68, 77-89, 118, 119, 198-231, 239-249, 254-274, 349-372 and 399-405; (e) sequences having a 99% probability of being the same as a sequence of (a)-(d); and (f) sequences having at least 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence of (a)-(d).
In further embodiments, the present invention provides isolated polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences provided in SEQ ID NOS: 120-197, 275-348, 373-398, 406-409, and 413-415; and (b) sequences having at least 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOS: 120-197, 275-348, 373-398, 406-409, and 413-415, together with isolated polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides. Isolated polypeptides which comprise at least a functional portion of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences provided in SEQ ID NOS: 120-197, 275-348, 373-398, 406-409, and 413-415; and (b) sequences having 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 120-197, 275-348, 373-398, 406-409, and 413-415, are also provided.
In related embodiments, the present invention provides expression vectors comprising the above polynucleotides, together with host cells transformed with such vectors.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of stimulating keratinocyte growth and motility, inhibiting the growth of epithelial-derived cancer cells, inhibiting angiogenesis and vascularization of tumors, or modulating the growth of blood vessels in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising an isolated polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences provided in SEQ ID NOS: 187, 196, 342, 343, 395, 397, and 398; and (b) sequences having at least 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOS: 187, 196, 342, 343, 395, 397, and 398.
Methods for modulating skin inflammation in a subject are also provided, the methods comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising an isolated polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences provided in SEQ ID NOS: 338 and 347; and (b) sequences having at least 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOS: 338 and 347. In an additional aspect, the present invention provides methods for stimulating the growth of epithelial cells in a subject. Such methods comprise administering to the subject a composition comprising an isolated polypeptide including an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences provided in SEQ ID NOS: 129 and 348; and (b) sequences having at least 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOS: 129 and 348.
In yet a further aspect, methods for inhibiting the binding of HIV-1 to leukocytes, for the treatment of an inflammatory disease or for the treatment of cancer in a subject are provided, the methods comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising an isolated polypeptide including an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequences provided in SEQ ID NOS: 340, 344, 345 and 346; and (b) sequences having at least 50%, 75% or 90% identity to a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOS: 340, 344, 345 and 346.
As detailed below, the isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention may be usefully employed in the preparation of therapeutic agents for the treatment of skin disorders.
The above-mentioned and additional features of the present invention, together with the manner of obtaining them, will be best understood by reference to the following more detailed description. All references disclosed herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as if each was incorporated individually.